Bushmill\'s Millenium Malt

While driving through Louisville on the way to the Sampler, I stopped at Liquor Barn to pick up a few bottles of bourbon of course, and chanced upon a bottle of Bushmill's Millenium Malt which I picked up to give one of my best friends who is of Irish descent. The price was in line with the 10 yr old single malt I had been giving him for his birthday the past couple of years so I figured this might be a bit of a change. The bottle says it was from a single cask and the date it was distilled but not the date of bottling or the proof. I tried to find info on the web and for some reason bushmills.com is down. Liquor Barn's web site only shows their specials so I was wondering if anyone has any info on this bottling?

Re: Bushmill\'s Millenium Malt

Dane:

I could be wrong, but I think you might have made the steal of the century. The only Bushmill's Millenium Malt I am aware of was distilled in 1975 and bottled from single casks in 1999 to celebrate the Millenium. It was a very limited release--actually, I thought it was available only at the distillery, but apparently I was wrong about that. The whiskey of which I speak was sold for several hundred dollars a bottle, far above the $30-$35 you would pay for a bottle of the 10yo malt.

For corrections, clarifications and/or confirmations of any of the above information, we now turn you over to StraightBourbon.com's resident Irish Whiskey expert, BlackKeno. Take it away, John....

Re: Bushmill\'s Millenium Malt

That was been something I've had my eye on for the last year of living in Louisville. I can confirm that I saw the same thing - the 1975 stuff for a VERY cheap price for such aged whiskey. I must be a pessimist- I figured there was something wrong with it that everybody but I had heard about. Maybe I'll have to pick up a bottle.

Re: Bushmill\'s Millenium Malt

I can add that after wiping the road dust out of my eyes I did find that it is 86 proof. My bottle says it is 80/88 for Liquor Barn. For anyone interested, I found it right in front of the checkouts by the premium lockup case at the Fern Ridge LB.

Re: Bushmill\'s Millenium Malt

OK, I know I should check the boards EVERYday...

That is a great price for the Bushmill's Millennium Malt.

I had not been very fond of their 10yo single. I do like the 16yo, so I figured that Bushmill's needed special casking to really shine. Also based on previous ages, I figured it must not stand up well to many years in the wood. One taste of this BMM dispelled both of those misconceptions. I rarely buy more than one of a particular expression. I immediately bought 3 bottles of BMM. Although it usually sold for $100 or a bit more, I found them at what I thought was a great price of $59. Sound like you got a steal!

Since these are single cask bottlings, there are significant differences between expressions--more so than I find in most single barrel bourbons. I have tried 3 different bottlings. All were great, but one I received as a gift from Dave Russo was easily the best.